Business Registration & Maintenance
Date published: 2 March, 2022
For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.
Table of Contents
- Why to Register your Business
- How to Register your Business Online
- Registering livestock
- Previous versions
- Download guidance
Why to Register your Business
If you want to apply for rural funding from the Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) and/or keep livestock, you will need to register your details with us.
How to Register your Business Online
Before you can use our online services, you need to register with us by creating a personal account. Click on the video to watch how to create that account. You must create your own personal account and you must not share your account password with anyone else. Please treat and protect your personal account like you would treat your own bank account. You only need one account and it stays with you for life.
Once you have your personal account you can then login to the Rural Payments and Services website.
You will be presented with the Home Page below and the green buttons at the foot of the screen will allow you to register / link your business(es) and or Advisory Firms to your personal account.
If you’re registering a business for the first time, you must be a member of that business, i.e. someone who will share in the profit or loss of the business, and you will be clicking on the “Register New” button. Please note that employees or agents which the business appoints, cannot register your business.
Once you start a new registration, our online application form will then guide you through the registration process. There are 3 reasons for registering a business, noting that it can be a combination of all 3 reasons
- to apply for funding
- to keep livestock
- to register agricultural land
Most businesses register for funding (to receive support payments / grants) so you will need to know the date of birth and National Insurance number of all the members of your business before you start the registration process. Read more about business types.
It's important that the information we hold about you and your business is accurate and is kept up to date.
Once you are up and running our online service guide explains how our computer system operates and has useful links to tutorial videos showing you how to maintain your business information.
Registering livestock
If you are a livestock keeper you are required to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency for a flock or herd number.
You will need your County Parish Holding Number to do this. We are required to share some of the information you give us with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
If you carry out any animal feed activities you are required to tell us. We will then share some of this information with Food Standards Scotland.
Previous versions
Download guidance
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